Withering Away
by cakeengland
Summary: Zero dies, (again) but this time, something different happens. X/Zero. Rated T to be cautious.


_A/N: The first X/Zero I ever completed. Inspired by a picture on dA. It's actually a two-parter, but the second part isn't yet complete. I'll add it on when it is. Once again, male/male._

* * *

I knew Zero was going to die and that I was going to wither away as a result.

Still, I continued to lean against the wall in the middle of nowhere, caressing my best friend (who I felt was more than a friend) gently, my fingers slowly gliding through his un-brushed and dirty lengths of golden hair. While Zero's wounds looked minimal on the outside, I knew that they were critical on the inside. Even now, my partner was shaking with the effort to stay online.

"X…" Zero's voice sounds strained as he whispers my name, pain lacing his tone. It sounds so pitiful, gnawing away at my heart. Well, my core, to be accurate. Normally, I would have told him not to talk, but he sounds like he is desperate to tell me something. Instead, I lower my head so he wouldn't have to spend as much energy to talk to me.

"Yes? What is it, Zero?" I ask quietly. Zero tilts his head upwards to meet my gaze, static clouding those shimmering sapphire orbs. Still, behind those blue-gray pixels there was an unknown emotion that I couldn't quite figure out.

"X…I…I…" My partner's eyes close, as he appears to have an internal struggle with himself. I say nothing, waiting patiently.

"I love you," Zero finally manages to whisper.

My body freezes as the full meaning of his statement sinks in and I stare at him for a moment, wide-eyed. Was he serious? He returns my gaze nervously, as if afraid. It assures me that he is definitely not joking.

"I love you too, Zero."

The side of Zero's face that isn't bruised and bloody smiles weakly at me and he tries to push himself to his knees. Reluctantly, I help him, knowing he'll only hurt himself more if I don't.

"If I h-had known that…I would h-have confessed a long time a-ago…we would have had forever t-to spend together…" Zero whispers, his speech spluttering a little as his voice modulator begins to break down.

"We still do," I murmur in reply, permitting him to bury his head in my chest. I start to stroke his hair again. "We still have forever to make up for lost time." Suddenly, Zero jerks backwards as if struck, his foggy cerulean eyes widening in alarm as his already-erratic breathing quickens. Startled, I stare at him, dumbstruck.

"What do y-you mean, X?" he gasps, sounding terrified. "You're n-not…giving up because of t-the fighting, are you?"

"Not because of the fighting," I say comfortingly, "but because I can't live without you." Before my newfound lover can protest, I press my lips into his, pouring every ounce of my vigor into the kiss. Out of the corner of my eye, I see his cheeks flush a deep shade of cerise underneath all the dirt and scratches. After the initial two seconds of shock, Zero returns my kiss, somehow finding the strength to lift his arms and drape them around my shoulders as he snuggles into my warm embrace. In return, I place my own arms around his waist, gently pulling him closer, leaning further back into the wall. I'm not entirely sure how long the kiss lasted, (nor do I care to know) but regardless, it was a long, long time. At some point, however, I feel my partner's grip slacken, seeming to glide away from me and I redouble my hold, drawing greedily on every last second of my precious, precious Zero's embrace. Maybe I'm being selfish, considering we will soon have an eternity to spend together, but right now, I just don't care. Still, the inevitable moment comes and I feel my best friend slash boyfriend's body grow cold. Gently, so very gently, I release my hold, resting my fallen lover's head in my lap.

"Just a few more moments," I murmur aloud as I give my auto-repair systems the order to shut down permanently. "I'll be with you very soon, my sweet." I close my eyes, already imagining the warmth of Zero's ethereal touch as I wait for oblivion to claim me.

But it's not the end, not really. It's just the beginning of a new journey.


End file.
